Harness attachment



(No Model.)

3. M. TILMAN. HARNESS ATTACHMENT.

No. 581,631. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

IIVVE/VTUR WITNESSES fl JOSEPH MONROE TILMAN, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

HARNESS ATTACI-HVl ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,631, dated April 27, 1897. Application filed April 1, 1896. erial No- 585,74=9. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MONROE TIL- MAN, of Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harness Attachments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to a checkrein attachment to harness; and the object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the checkrein of a harness may be checked up or loosened without necessitating the driver of the horse leaving the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment adapted to accomplish the above-mentioned result which will be exceedingly simple, durable, and economic and capable of ready and convenient application to any harness.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment, illustrating its application to a complete harness and to the checkrein of the harness. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the major portion of the attachment, illustrating the parts in the position they occupy when the checkrein is slack. Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrating the position of the parts when the checkrein is drawn tight. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the plunger portion of the attachment. Fig. 5 is an edge view of a modified form of the locking-standard for the de vice, and Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the aforesaid modified form of the locking-standard.

In carrying out the invention the usual checkrein device or hook is omitted from the saddle of the harness and in its stead the locking-standard A is provided, which is secured to the saddle in any suitable or approved manner. The said locking-standard comprises a shank 10 and a head 11, the head being provided with an opening 12, extending through from front to back, and the said head is provided in each of its side edges with a slot 13, communicating with the opening 12.

A spring 13 is located within the opening of the head portion of the locking-standard, and the said spring comprises an open upper loopsection 14 and a lower neck-section 15, the extremities of the neck-section being carried outward to engage with the bottom of the slots 13, while the upper portion of the spring is preferably secured to the solid upper portion of the head 11, which is between the edge slots 13,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In some instances the form of lockingstandard illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is used instead of the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The modified form of the locking-standard is constructed of wire or a similar material, and comprises, preferably, a twin-shank section 10 and a twin-loop or head section 11, the locking-spring B being located between the members of the loop-head section, and the upper portion of the spring is firmly attached to these members. In both instances the lower extremities leading from the neck portion of the spring are free to move outward.

In connection with the locking-standard a plunger O is used, and this plunger is preferably of ovate form, its contracted end being connected or made integral with a smaller ovate plug 18, and the larger and the smaller ovate sections of the plunger may be and usually are made in one piece. Under this construction an exterior flange 19 is formed at the contracted end of the main or body ovate section of the plunger.

A ring 20 is usually attached to the smaller ovate or inclined section of the plunger, while a lap-ring 21 is attached to the enlarged extremity of the body portion of the plunger, and the said lap-ring is adapted to receive within it the checkrein 22. A wire 23, chain, or its equivalent is attached to the ring 20 at the reduced end of the plunger, and the said wire or chain is passed between the members of the locking-spring l3, and thence through a ring or eye 24, secured upon the back or hip strap of the harness, and the chain or wire 23 terminates in a ring 25. By drawing the ring end 25 of the wire 23 in direction of the vehicle the smaller inclined portion of the plunger will be passed through the neck portion of the locking-spring B, and after this reduced portion of the plunger has passed the spring the neck members thereof will close around the contracted portion of the larger or body section of the plunger, and the shoulder 19 will .prevent the plunger from being withdrawn by the movement of the horses head from the lockingstandard, the checkrein at that, time being in position to fully check the horses head. When, however, it is desired to slacken the checkrein and release the horses head from its upper position, it is simply necessary to pull the wire or chain 23 quickly and strongly in a rearwardly direction, whereupon the inclined rear end of the body portion of the plunger will be drawn through the neck portion of the locking-spring and will separate the members of the spring at that point, permitting the plunger to ride upward in the upper or loop section of the spring, which will be of sufficient size to' permit the plunger to pass through in a forwardly direction and to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The checkrein may be manipulated by the occupant of the vehicle without leaving the seat, and this is accomplished by using an angular rod or bar of any description capable of being hooked in the handle-ring 25 of the attachment. This device is exceedingly simple, durable, and economic, and it is evident that it may be applied to any form of harness. Both the lock and the plunger may be made of any suitable material and of any desired size.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A harness attachment consisting of a fixture rigidly secured to the saddle of the harness and having an opening extending through it from front to back, a spring arranged in the said opening and having an enlarged section and a contracted section, and atapering plunger provided with a shoulder, the end of the tapering plunger being adapted to be drawn rearwardly through the contracted section of the said spring, the said contracted section of the spring engaging the said shoulderto hold the plungerin position, the said plunger being adapted for attachment to the checkrein, substantially as described.

2. A fixture adapted for attachment to a harness,having an opening extending through the same, and a spring arranged in the said opening, provided with an upper enlarged section and a lower contracted section, the lower ends of the spring being free, a tapering plunger having a shoulder at its tapered portion adapted to pass between the members of the aforesaid spring, the said plunger being provided with means for attachment to a checkrein, and a device for drawin g the plunger through the spring-controlled opening in the fixture, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A fixture adapted for attachment to a portion of a harness, having an opening therein, a spring located in the said opening and comprising an upper loop-section attached to the fixture, and a lower contracted or neck section, the members whereof have movement in the fixture, a tapering plunger adapted to be passed between the members of the spring and provided with a shoulder at its contracted end, a tension device connected with the contracted portion of the plunger, and a fastening device connected with the enlarged end of the said plunger, arranged to receive the checkrein of a harness, as and for the purpose specified.

4. An attachment for a harness, the same consisting of a fixture comprising a shank and a head having an opening extending through from front to back, and slots in its side edges, aspring comprising a loop and aneck-section located within the said opening, the loop portion of the spring being attached to the fixture, the neck-section being free to expand and contract, and a tapering shouldered plunger adapted to be drawn between the members of the spring and released therefrom, the said plunger being adapted furthermore for attachment to the checkrein of the harness, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In aharness attachment,alocking-standard adapted for attachment to a saddle, comprising a shank and a head, the head being in loop form and having vertical slots in its side edges communicating with the interior of the loop, a spring comprising an upper bow-section secured in the loop-section of the standard, and a contracted or necksection the members whereof have movement in opposite directions in the aforesaid loop portion of the standard, and a plunger having tapering form and provided with a shoulder at its contracted end, the plunger being adapted to be drawn between the members of the said spring, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a harness attachment,a locking-standard adapted for attachment to a saddle, comprising a shank and a head, the head being in loop form and having vertical slots in its side edges communicating with the interior of said loop, a spring comprising an upper bow-section secured in the loop-section of the standard, and a contracted or neck section, the members whereof have movement in opposite directions in the aforesaid loop portion of the standard, a plunger having tapering form and provided with a shoulder at its contracted end, the plunger being adapted to be drawn between the members of the said spring, a stop device connected with the contracted end of the plunger, and a lap-ring connected with the enlarged end of the plunger and adapted for engagement with a checkrein, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a harness attachment,alocking-standard adapted for attachment to a saddle, comprising a shank and a head, the head being in loop form and having vertical slots in its side edges, communicating with the interior of the loop, a spring comprising an upper bow-section secured in the loop-section of the standard, and a contracted or neck section the members whereof have movement in opposite directions in the aforesaid loop portion of the standard, a plunger having tapering form and provided with a shoulderat its contracted end, the plunger being adapted to be drawn between the members of the said spring, a fastening device attached to the enlarged end of the plunger, adapted for engagement with the checkl'ein of the harness, an eye adapted for attachment to the harness at the tween the said ring and the contracted end 15 of the plunger, as and for the purpose specified.

JOSEPH MONROE TILMAN.

Witnesses:

O. O. VON ARX,

DAN S. IIOLENELY. 

